


No Revenge, No Life

by kolbietheninja



Series: Naruto Time Travel Fics [3]
Category: Naruto
Genre: 'Cause they are Uchiha through and through, A+ for effort though, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Awkward situations, Emotional Baggage, Fix-It, Gen, Honestly just an Older!Sasuke mentors Younger!Sasuke fic, Maybe someone will actually be saved, Not actually a Flash Fic, Originally Posted on FanFiction.Net, Sasuke makes dumb decisions, Time Travel, hidden agendas, ignores canon ending, lots of emotions, major spoilers of course, maybe not, so of course he's going to try to fix them, unreliable narrators
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-08-24
Updated: 2015-09-25
Packaged: 2018-02-14 12:05:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,861
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2191170
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kolbietheninja/pseuds/kolbietheninja
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sasuke is heavily wounded after his battle at the Valley of the End, and Orochimaru's henchmen have yet to whisk him away (not that he'd admit to such weakness.) A curious meeting with a familiar face leads to staggering implications and some much needed enlightenment.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. heart in a headlock

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lyrics: "Headlock" by Imogen Heap
> 
> [This fic has been cross-posted to Fanfiction.net.]

* * *

_"You're walking._ _You've been hiding,_

_And you look half- **dead** half the time."_

* * *

He winces as the particularly painful, sharp sensation shoots up from his wound again and seems to coalesce behind his eyes and around his curse mark; he leans against a tree momentarily, waiting for it to pass. As he does so, his mind wanders back to the unconscious body he'd left in the Valley of the End (Sasuke never _had_ appreciated such irony), and the remembrance of that _idiot_ 's inexplicable power only serves to strengthen his resolve to sever his ties with this useless village and his equally as hindering teammates.

"How pathetic."

He'd had his own ragged breathing and the _pitter patter_ of the rain as his only companions for a while now, and so sure was he of his lack of pursuers—The village is still recovering from the invasion, after all; having only genin sent after him reveals as much, if nothing else—that the sudden intrusion of a decidely male voice startles him so badly that he forgets himself and attempts to fetch a kunai with his injured arm. This results in a dizzying, searing pain to his system, and he staggers slightly before slumping to the cold, muddy ground, his breaths now coming out in shallow puffs.

He hurriedly lifts his upper body and attempts to search his surroundings for the owner of said voice, his Sharingan flaring to life almost subconsciously before that, too, dissolves back into his normal obsidian and leaves him feeling drained from chakra exhaustion. Anger at this stranger and his utter helplessness swells within him, and he is moments from demanding the man reveal himself when, suddenly, someone steps out from behind a tree, clad in black clothing and silver armor and a katana strapped to his back.

None of this registers to the young Uchiha, however, for his attention is captured solely by the chillingly _familiar_ crimson gaze on a face that is most certainly _not_ That Man's. The stranger (who, with his black, spiky hair and distinct facial features is, for all intents and purposes, an Uchiha) moves closer to him until he stands just before Sasuke, apparently blatantly ignoring the bewilderment marring his usually passive countenace. The man then crouches down to his level, and his crooked eyebrow causes the teen to stop gaping and instead demand, "Who are _you_?! How are you _alive_?!" It never occurs to him to question whether or not the man is _actually_ his kin; _no one_ could henge such a convincing Sharingan.

The man's lip quirks a bit in amusement as he asks his own question. "You mean you can't tell?"

His vision is blurred slightly from fatigue (and hadn't yet completely recovered from his dizzy spell), and the heavy downpour is just as impeding; nevertheless, he quickly realizes that the eerie familiarity he'd felt earlier did not, in fact, extend only to the man's dojutsu. "That's impossible." The words are out of his mouth before he even registers it.

Cocking his head to the side, the man's small smile morphs into _his_ signature smirk, red eyes fading to black. "Was I really this slow?" The question is rhetorical, but the implication is staggering. The smirk widens at his dumbfounded expression, and a gloved hand ruffles his hair. His mirthful demeanor abruptly dissipates, a solemn expression replacing it, and though the man—his older self; holy shit—is meeting his gaze, Sasuke isn't entirely certain the man is seeing _him_. "Heh. The Dobe had _one_ thing right."

'The Dobe?' _Naruto?_

The small smile is back, and the young Uchiha is discomfitted by the strange expression on his own face, albeit an older version. Apparently having regained his train of thought, the man says, "We have much to discuss, Sasuke, but first..." He trails off, removing his hand from Sasuke's hair and turning around. He continues, glancing from over his shoulder, "...we need to get out of this rain. Let's go."

"What?" His brain is foggy and becoming even more so by the minute due to fatigue, and this current situation is so far from the realm of possibility that he's having trouble making the appropriate connections. That's what he's going with, anyway.

His older self looks quite close to rolling his eyes (and since when has _his_ face ever showed so much emotion?), but he refrains, settling for clarifying, "I'm going to carry you, so get on. Any longer out here, and you might get sick." He pauses and peers at the teen more closely before amending, "More than you already are."

Too exhausted both mentally and physically to put up much of a resistance, he manages to get to his feet, but his legs might as well be noodles by this point, causing him to lose his balance. His consciousness begins fading mid-fall, and he is only aware long enough to realize his face had hit something much softer than the dirt floor of the forest.

* * *

_"Monitoring you, like machines do._

_You've still got it; I'm just keeping an **eye**."_

* * *

He wakes to the warmth of a fire and the forest canopy.

He is on his feet and in a defensive stance instantly, instincts screaming at him to flee _(it'snarutotheidiotalwaysgettinginmyway)_ , to get away _(myclosestfriendbutThatManistoostrongIneedpOwEr)_ , and he doesn't even notice the man flicker behind him until he feels a hand on his shoulder. His elbow slams into the man's chest, or that's the plan, anyway. Instead, his appendage is easily caught, and the grip is too strong for him to simply pull it away. Before he can attack again, the man grabs his other arm and forces him to the ground, pinning him in place with his bodyweight.

His mind is furiously working to figure a way out of the situation when a familiar voice breaks the tense silence. "Sasuke, calm down. It's _me_." Who-? And then the hazy aftermath of the _(ididn'twanttoihadnootherchoice)_ battle becomes clear, and he stops struggling. As the panic subsides, faint stirrings of embarassment arise. Most likely noticing the tension leaving his body at the dawning realization, his older self releases the hold and then helps him to his feet.

Sasuke regards the other male more closely now that precipitation isn't actively distorting his appearance and finds that resemblance between the two of them is rather obvious. Frankly, the other man simply looks like a taller, stronger version of himself, which, he supposes, is exactly the case. This observation isn't merely one-sided; he notices the man glancing over him as well. Whether it's due to simple comparison or concern for his health, he doesn't know; perhaps it is both.

Regardless, Sasuke has questions that need to be answered. Never being one to beat around the bush, he asks, "How did this happen?"

As expected, the man is not surprised by the sudden inquiry. (They are the same person, after all.) Rather, he gestures to the fire, saying, "Let's sit down first. I'll explain while you eat."

"Hn." Reluctantly, the boy does as he is told and seats himself on the log directly across from the other man, accepting the cup ramen and water without complaint (but not, however, without a crooked eyebrow at the food choice. He only receives an unconcerned shrug in response.) He takes one bite of noodles and then stares at the man expectantly, earning himself that weird quirk of the lip he now associates with his older self.

"Impatient, aren't you?" Not waiting for an answer, he goes on, "To answer your question... Well, I can't give you a satisfying answer. This whole situation," He gestures airily to everything and nothing, " _was_ planned to an extent." Sasuke opens his mouth to speak, but the man interrupts him, "I know what you're thinking: 'If you could time travel at will, why wouldn't you have stopped the massacre?'" He merely nods, and the man runs a hand through his unruly spikes, sighing. "It's a lot more complicated than that."

He mulls that over as the other man gathers his thoughts. "So... you _couldn't_ go back in time any further?"

"In a way... Yes and no." His frustration must have shown through because the man explains, seeming to pick his words carefully, "It would have been... unwise."

His tone is indignant as he parrots, "'Unwise'?"

"Simply put, there is nothing I could have done to prevent it."

He jumps to his feet in anger, ramen splattering on the ground, forgotten. " _You could have killed Itachi!"_

A pained grimace surfaces on the man's face at the accusation, and his charcoal gaze moves to the fire, despondent. Rueful, he reveals, "I murdered him when I was fifteen." Sasuke has half a second to feel a grim sense of triumph before the man's head shoots up, gaze sharp. "A few hours later, I found out the _truth_ behind the massacre."

Utterly thrown, he blurts, "The 'truth'? What are you talking about? Itachi _murdered_ our entire clan—"

"—because he was _ordered_ to by the village."

Sasuke pulls up short at these words, disbelief coloring his features. " _What?_ "

"Relations between the village and the Uchiha were strained after the Kyuubi attack," He begins, hands clasped together tightly, gaze back on the flame. His face screws up into a sneer as he continues, disgusted, "so Tou-san and the Elders planned a coup."

Sasuke barely has time to swallow this before his older self goes on, "At the time, because he was a prodigy and the next Clan Head, Itachi was expected to infiltrate ANBU and become an agent for the clan; but what the Clan didn't know was that Itachi loved the village too much to allow them to carry through with their plans, so he divulged everything to the Sandaime and became a double agent."

The man finishes with, "Itachi was ordered to assassinate the Clan, and he became a missing nin because he obviously couldn't have stayed in the village."

"...That's..." Sasuke murmurs, voice strangled and eyes impossibly wide. He pauses and takes a moment to compose himself. "If that's true... then why am _I_...?"

The man's quirky smile replaces the thin line, tinged with wistfullness and regret. "The one thing Itachi loves more than even Konoha..." He declares, tilting his head toward the young Uchiha, "is you."

Sasuke's gaze drops to the ground, tears springing up unbidden, his hands clenching hard enough to draw blood. His voice is barely a whisper, shaky, "Then... then what have I been _doing_...?" He thinks of the fight _(ohgodallthatfornothing)_ and Sakura's desperate begging _(itwasn'tsupposedtobethisway)_ and Kakashi's warnings _(youdon'tunderstandyoudon't)_. He thinks of That Ma— **his brother** being forced to choose between family and the village _(ididn'tknowididn't)_ , how that must have felt.

He is sobbing inconsolably before he knows it, and when the man attempts to comfort him with an awkward pat on the head, he instigates his first hug since early childhood _(ohbrotheri'msosorry),_ hands digging into the man's back, face pressed into the fabric of his shirt. He is dimly aware of an arm hesitantly wrapping around _his_ back, rubbing soothing circles _(likemomusedto)_ and the other in his hair.

When he finally calms down much later, his only consolation is that, at the very least, he cried on himself.

* * *

_"You know you're better than this."_

* * *

 


	2. i want to live, not just survive

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Man, isn't this long overdue? I haven't worked on this in months, and then out of nowhere I got the urge to write for it. *shrugs* Just a reminder: there are no pairings, and this ignores the canon ending.
> 
> Lyrics: "Angel With A Shotgun" by The Cab
> 
> Also, thanks for the comments, kudos, bookmarks, subscriptions, and hits! ^w^

* * *

_"They say before you start a war,_

_you better know what you're **fighting** for." _

* * *

"What are you planning?" He demands with his usual bluntness.

He'd been uncharacteristically hesitant in his actions after having his world view so thoroughly shaken, but Sasuke is nothing if not adaptable. _(becausehehastobe)_ He'd adapted to bigger revelations before _(deadthey'realldead)_ , had become independent and stronger than all of his classmates, and had, up until two days ago, been ready to adapt to a life outside of the village and within the hands of an enemy. His hatred had been his guide, his driving force, when all things failed him - his family, the authorities, his team - for so long that it's almost too easy to shift its intensity onto a new target - the Leaf Village.

But then he'd looked to his older self and noticed the scuffed up Konoha headband tied loosely around his neck and what he now recognizes to be an ANBU uniform, so he'd taken a moment to reconsider, go over the information he'd been given. The older Uchiha had been rather vague during his recounting, perhaps knowing that Sasuke would have been too emotional to realize at the time; there had been no mention of names beyond that of his father and Naruto, not even a hint as to where _his_ loyalties lie. Clearly, he and Naruto were still on speaking terms, but what of the rest of their team, of the village itself?

It's suspicious, and he thinks, almost resentfully, as his older self's unsurprised expression greets his outburst, that the man must have been waiting for him to collect himself enough to ask.

"Call me 'Kei-san'," He says nonsensically, turning back around to sort his supplies and apparently ignoring Sasuke's command. He glares daggers at the man's back. As if sensing his ire, his older self retorts blithely, "I'm letting you keep our name. Be grateful, brat."

Oh. He supposes that makes sense. It had already become confusing enough addressing the man in his head that he'd resorted to 'older me' rather than his name, and an alias would definitely make it easier for Sasuke to simply treat the man as a different person, rather than his future self. Still, though, "'Kei-san'?" No matter its spelling, it's an utterly pompous nickname, and it's not particularly creative, either.

'Kei-san' sends him an amused glance from over his shoulder - which Sasuke is quickly becoming annoyed by; it's almost like being around Kakashi-sensei full time - and explains, "It's a name I'm used to, ridiculous as it is. It'd be unfortunate if someone addressed me and I didn't immediately answer; even a genin would pick up on it, much less the shinobi _we're_ going to be dealing with." He finishes sorting, closes his bag, and throws it over his shoulder as he stands from his crouch.

"And those shinobi won't be made aware of your true identity," Sasuke surmises, mulling over the implications. He looks up at the man and wonders about the - quite obvious - resemblance between them, but he refrains from mentioning it. There are more important matters at hand. "I'll ask again: What are you planning?"

The almost playful air about his counterpart is replaced with utter seriousness. "I'm going to train you," He eventually answers, gesturing at Sasuke's neck. "That curse mark will kill you unless I teach you how to use it; I'm sure you'll remember the Sound Four said as much between threats." The boy nods, eyes narrowing, and Kei-san goes on, "My own mark was removed, so I can't actually _show_ you. However, I remember the training well enough, so we'll start on that as soon as we reach my base."

Sasuke frowns. "How long have you been... in the past?" Long enough to set up a base, apparently.

"About two months," The man estimates, shrugging. "I had to check on a few things before coming to get you, and besides, I had to wait until you'd left of your own accord. This way, everyone in Konoha will simply assume you're with Orochimaru, and we can move about freely. If I'd just kidnapped you from within the village, the Hokage would have undoubtedly sent pursuers after us, as well as put a bounty on my head." He shifts his balance to his other foot. "Anonymity will be our ally here."

The younger Uchiha tries not to be too irritated with his counterpart, considering he _had_ given a legitimate reason for not _(stoppinghimfromhurtingthem)_ arriving sooner, but he finds it a bit difficult. He's always been hardest on _himself_ \- for not being strong enough, smart enough, fast enough, or simply _enough_ \- so his feelings toward Kei (He's decided to drop the suffix out of spite) are mixed, at best.

His tone reflects this as he inquires, "And Orochimaru?"

"With luck, he'll presume you were either convinced or dragged back to the village. In that case, he wouldn't risk sending anymore men right away because the village would be ready for him. You were only able to get away _this_ time because no expected you to." Sasuke scoffs, and Kei does the lip quirk thing. "If we're _un_ lucky, then one of his men inside the village will notify him - or unlike in my time, the Hokage will label _you_ as a missing-nin - and we'll have _him_ to worry about."

Sasuke focuses on the important part of that explanation. Eyebrows furrowed, he says, "You weren't labeled a missing-nin?"

Kei moves his gaze to the surrounding forest, leaning back against a tree as he clarifies, voice loaded with a myriad of emotions, "Well, not originally. I didn't find out until much later, but apparently, Naruto managed to convince Tsunade to let him go after me and bring me back himself. A few years later, he eventually did."

Sasuke's eyes widen, and his chest feels strangely warm. That idiot had- what? Spent years chasing after him? _Why?_ It's no wonder Kei doesn't want to face him directly. This is a level of embarrassment - and happiness? confusion? - that is entirely new to him _(ormaybejustforeignnow)_ , and he's not sure what kind of expression he's making.

He can admit - in passing and only to himself - that he considers _that dope_ to be his best friend, and Sakura, his sister. Her professions of love and naivete and Naruto's cheerfulness had eventually become things he'd looked upon with no small amount of exasperation and fondness, and he kind of misses them already _(nowthathecanfinallybreatheagain)_. But for the knucklehead to go to _that_ extent?

The man clears his throat and rather awkwardly suggests, "You, uh- You probably had more questions, right? Let's move on."

Sasuke nods jerkily, setting aside that particular musing for another time. He'll _never_ understand that kid. "Who orchestrated the massacre?" He'd never speak so cavalierly of such an unforgivable tragedy usually, but he has a feeling his attempts at subtlety would be met with careful diversions. And this is something he will not back down on.

Kei sighs, as if Sasuke is being unreasonable - which is absurd - but he answers nonetheless, "Technically, it was by a man named Danzo. He was on the Third's genin team, and he's something of an an adviser to him. He's a dangerous man, but I managed to kill him when I was fifteen. Now, it should be a breeze, but you know what they say: never underestimate your opponents and all that. I _am not_ going to let him play puppeteer from the sidelines and wait for an opportunity to take over Konoha, so yes, Sasuke, he's one of our targets." The man rolls his eyes as he finishes, and Sasuke scowls at him.

" _One_ of our targets?" He asks, instead of allowing himself to become riled up.

The man snorts sardonically. "Believe me, there are quite a few. However, the major ones are Danzo, Orochimaru, and Madara and Zetsu - who are kind of a packaged deal. And don't even ask me about those last two; we're not dealing with them until you're trained and we've gathered the members of Team Taka."

Sasuke glares. "Who are the members, then?" He's always despised information being withheld from him. The fact that 'Kei' knows that and is doing it anyway is doubly annoying and very frustrating.

"You'll find out when we go get them." The man replies airily.

Uchihas do not pout - but Sasuke might be sulking, just a bit.

* * *

_"I'll throw away my faith, babe, just to keep you **safe**."_

* * *

The base turned out to be within the borders of Fire Country and was supposedly one of Orochimaru's that Kei had cleared out at some point during his two months in the past. The man had explained that it was one that the snake hadn't actively used in his time because of its lack of a proper lab and its proximity to Konoha; it was only a backup. Evidently, Orochimaru has dozens of them.

Kei had also surrounded the place with complicated seals of his own making in order to keep out its former master and any other intruders. His future self is apparently quite adept at fuinjutsu. Sasuke doesn't let on that he's excited to learn it as well, and he doggedly ignores the other man's knowing looks whenever he brings it up.

They've been training for the past few months, and the younger Uchiha is, surprisingly enough, satisfied with his progress. Before, when all he'd had for comparison was Naruto, he'd gotten frustrated at what had seemed to be a large gap growing between them. He'd felt as if he were at a standstill, and the other boy, who had been the _dead-last_ , had surpassed him so easily. That and the reminder of his ambition ( _andthefactthathewasn'tstrongenoughtoprotecthem)_ had been enough to drive him to drastic measures.

However, unlike the Dobe or anyone else, Sasuke is able to look upon his future self and know for certain that he can become so much stronger. It's reassuring, and he feels his lingering insecurities and doubts and _anger_ dissipate bit by bit. He can almost understand, now, why Kei seems happy and relaxed - he's comfortable in his own skin and confident in his abilities in a way that Sasuke has never been, not even when he'd been a mostly unburdened child. Regardless, the man is utterly aggravating on a _good_ day and impossible on a bad one.

(And there _are_ bad days. His counterpart is clearly suffering from loss and possibly a form of PTSD, but it's hard to tell if it's simply from being a shinobi or events in the future Sasuke doesn't like to contemplate.

There had to be a _reason_ he came to the past, after all.)

Kei is less annoying during training and manages to maintain some level of professionalism, which Sasuke is admittedly grateful for. If Sasuke can be said to take himself too seriously, then it seems, at times, that Kei doesn't take anything seriously _enough._ But as long as he masters all of the techniques thrown at him, it doesn't matter who teaches him or the manner in which they do it.

He's going to get his brother back. He's going to (hopefully) reconcile with Team 7 - or at least make sure they're okay.

And he might have a hand in saving the world while he's at it.

* * *

_"Don't you know you're **everything** I have?"_

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really hope this is what you guys were expecting. *nervous laughter* Anyway, I was planning on this only being five chapters, and if I can still swing it, I will. However, I might have to extend it to, say, ten?
> 
> Older!Sasuke's name:
> 
> \- KEI (1-恵, 2-佳, 3-敬, 4-圭, 5-慧): Japanese name meaning 1) "blessed, lucky," 2) "excellent," 3) "respect," 4) "square jewel," or 5) "wise."
> 
> \- "Sa-su-KEI"


	3. i have been poisoned inside

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> New chapter, yay! Sorry for the wait! This came out of nowhere, but I'm certainly not complaining. Please keep in mind that Sasuke (or whoever) is an unreliable narrator!
> 
> Thanks for all of the support, guys! I appreciate it. :D
> 
> Lyrics: "Battle Cry" by Imagine Dragons

 

* * *

 _"Just one more time before I go,_ _I'll let you know"  
_

* * *

"What's he waiting for?" Naruto mutters irritably, his patience finally snapping. They're _so close_ , damn it, _so close_ to Sasuke after two whole years, and this sitting around and twiddling his thumbs while Yamato-sensei and that spy yak away is making him antsy. "He should just grab the guy while his guard's down."

Sakura immediately whispers back reproachfully, "Have you forgotten? That's _Kabuto._ Playing it safe is the right way to handle it." She returns her gaze to the two motionless figures on the bridge. "Besides, if he manages to escape, this will all have been for nothing."

"But," Sai speaks up, startling both of them. He's so quiet most of the time that it's freaky. Of course, whenever he opens his mouth, it takes all of Naruto's will power not to punch him (or to restrain Sakura from doing the same), so maybe _that's_ why. The newest member of Team Kakashi goes on, "if he takes _too_ much time, then the spy might get suspicious, and our whole plan will be put into jeopardy."

"Maybe," Their medic concedes. "But we have no choice but to trust the captain's judgement."

None of them can argue with that.

Down on the bridge, said disguised captain is conversing with Kabuto when, suddenly, the spy lunges at him with a kunai. Yamato-sensei dodges out of the way and pulls out his own weapon, but Kabuto doesn't continue his assault. Instead, his face stretches into what can only be described as a toothy grin, and he jeers, "Took you long enough."

At this, two unfamiliar shinobi seem to materialize on the bridge behind them. "Sorry to keep you waiting," One of them - the male - responds, tone utterly unapologetic. A long, red scarf covers the man's lower face and neck and the other end dangles freely near his ankles. The rest of his clothing is black, like his hair, and a katana sits on his back. He explains dryly, "We had a little more trouble than expected."

Kabuto snorts, the creepy grin still in place. His head is tilted towards the newcomers, but it's obvious that his attention is still on their captain. "Well, it _was_ Orochimaru. What did you expect?"

The girl practically bristles. "Don't think for one second that we couldn't have taken him! It was a piece of cake." She crosses her arms and declares haughtily, "Kei-san is just trying to make you feel better about being the decoy!"

The two of them begin bickering, heedless of the heavy atmosphere. Naruto... is really confused. "Are they implying they attacked Orochimaru? And _won_?" He wonders aloud. "Who are they, anyway? Did some of his men turn on him?"

"I don't know," Sakura divulges worriedly.

Sai remains silent, his poker face giving nothing of his thoughts away.

"Well, what are we supposed to _do_?" He demands. Yamato-sensei is still in disguise, but it's starting to seem like Kabuto somehow isn't under Sasori's control anymore, especially not if he was involved in some sort of coup. "Shouldn't we jump in and help?"

Sakura shakes her head, obviously reluctant. "Until we see the signal, we have to stand by."

The scarf guy interrupts their argument gruffly. "You can drop the act now."

All three of them tense up, exchanging alarmed glances. Has Captain Yamato been found out? _How does he know?_

"Ugh, finally," Kabuto groans nonsensically. And then, with a poof of smoke, an unrecognizable shinobi takes his place. He smiles, this time with sharp, shark-like teeth, and then complains, visibly shuddering, "I hated pretending to be that freak. I'm glad we got rid of him first thing."

The girl regards him with thinly veiled distaste, but she allows, "I suppose even _your_ ugly mug is better than _that_ guy's."

"You 'got rid' of my spy? And Orochimaru as well?" Yamoto-sensei, still disguised as Sasori, chimes in, voice gravelly in perfect imitation.

The Kabuto-imposter barks a laugh, "Sure did."

"For what purpose? Who are you?" He demands.

The unknowns finally acknowledge Yamato-sensei with measured gazes, and then the other two look to the scarf guy in askance. He eventually nods.

"Team Taka, at your service," The shark guy bows mockingly. He straightens and then shrugs. "I don't know all the details, but personally, it was in my best interests." He points a thumb at the scarf guy. "He's got a hit list, and we're just following orders."

The scarf guy - their leader? - doesn't deny the claim, only stands there languidly. Naruto gets a weird sense of déjà vu from him, but he could swear he's never seen the man before. This guy was able to take out Orochimaru _and_ Kabuto? He clenches his fists. _What about Sasuke?_

"That's not Sasori of the Red Sand," the girl declares abruptly, adjusting her glasses. "This guy's chakra is completely different - almost wood-like."

Naruto gapes and then gets ready for the signal. He can see the other two do the same in his peripheral. C'mon. C'mon. _C'mon, Yamato-sensei!_

"Hn." Scarf Guy jerks his chin toward the wood-style user, and the shark guy _moves_ and manages to break through Yamato-sensei's wooden puppet with his kunai.

No longer impeded by his disguise, the captain engages the enemy for several seconds and then pushes away when their weapons become deadlocked. They land even further apart than before, and neither sports any visible injuries. Naruto grits his teeth in impatience and worry.

"A Konoha headband?" The shark guy observes, smirking. "Then you must be with those kids over there, yeah?" He gestures airily to their location in the forest.

Yamato-sensei visibly stills. Then, he _finally_ signals them to come out. Naruto wastes no time in doing so. They land in the protective formation they'd practiced earlier, battle-ready.

"Where's Sasuke, you bastards?" Naruto practically growls.

"Naruto," Sakura admonishes. Yamato sighs.

Naruto _could not care less_ about protocols or pleasantries right now _because they need to know_.

And then, a new voice joins in, a voice Naruto is _very familiar_ _with_ , a voice that makes his heart stop and his eyes widen and his mouth drop open. Because- Because that voice belongs to one person and one person only.

"It's been a long time, Naruto, Sakura," _Sasuke_ , his best friend, the idiot who defected and who claimed he was trying to cut their ties but left Naruto alive anyway, his teammate who has been missing for two years, the hard-headed _dumbass_ he's been chasing after, _that Sasuke_ remarks casually. He shunshins to stand next to Team Taka, a little taller and with longer hair than the Sasuke he'd last seen but otherwise exactly the same.

 _"Sa..su..ke,"_ Sakura breathes out from beside him, her voice fragile and trembling and loaded with a million things unsaid between the three of them, her face a mirror of Naruto's own.

He manages to catch a quicksilver smile (soft and tiny and _real_ ) on Sasuke's lips before he pulls out that damn poker face of his, and Naruto's not entirely certain he didn't imagine it. Regardless, he's _not_ imagining the bastard standing in front of him. The happiness and bitterness and relief and _anger_ war inside of him, but none of that matters because-

They've found him, _and-_

His eyes gleam with determination as he composes himself.

_And they're not letting go this time._

* * *

_"That all this time I've been afraid and w_ _ouldn't let it show."_

* * *

Sasuke wipes the blood off of his cheek in disgust and then flicks his wrist to rid his sword of the remaining grime before sheathing it. After learning about the snake bastard's experiments (not least of all what was done to himself) and what would have been in store for Sasuke had he trained under him, the very thought of any part of the man touching him is nauseating.

He surveys the battlefield - one of Orochimaru's bases; although it's nothing more than rubble now - and then takes in the battered but not worse for wear forms of his comrades. When Kei had first mentioned getting a team together, Sasuke had thought little of it. After all, his last team hadn't parted on great terms, and he doesn't work well with others. He'd put up with it simply because Kei has knowledge of what is to come (and knows more than he's letting on), and he'd trusted the man to gather useful members, at the very least.

"You were so cool when you trapped him in those illusions, Sasuke~!" Karin coos into his ear, latching herself quite firmly to his arm. "And the way Kei-sama used his Mangekyou at the very last second~!" She sighs dreamily, her fingernails digging into his skin. " _Your chakras are like candy to my eyes~!_ "

He resists the urge to push her away, knowing it to be futile.

Suigetsu ambles toward them, Kubikiribōchō settled on his back and a sharp grin on his face. He whistles. "You're really putting yourself out there, aren'tcha?"

She releases him almost immediately, and the two of them start to squabble as usual. Sasuke feels exhausted just watching them. _Useful_ members? Absolutely. Her healing bite and Mind's Eye of the Kagura are convenient, especially since neither he nor Kei know much about healing, and Suigetsu's sword skills and clan abilities are nothing to sneeze at. _Necessary,_ though? He's not so sure.

"Karin, Jugo, find the rest of his body and seal it," Kei interjects, tone neutral, but his stupid half-smile betrays his amusement. He's actually _amused_ by their antics. Sasuke is seriously beginning to doubt the validity of the man's claims of time travel, despite all evidence pointing toward it. How can he and this man be the same person, albeit a few years apart?

As if sensing his thoughts, Kei smirks at him, ruffling his hair. Sasuke knocks his hand away with a glare. Ignoring his growing ire, Kei reminds, "Suigetsu, you should get going."

"Aye, aye, cap'n," He mockingly salutes, body disappearing into mist as he shunshins away. He'll eventually transform into the now deceased Kabuto and greet _them_.

Sasuke feels a nervous flutter in his chest and ruthlessly stomps down on it. There's no need to be _nervous_. He's only going to play the part of the cold and aloof avenger, give information (both true and misleading) to Konoha in order to distract them while Team Taka hunts down their enemies, and then they'll escape. It's not like this a reunion, not really. And so what if he's kind of excited to see his old team again? What do you say to friends you'd betrayed in cold-blood for a cause you'd ultimately abandoned?

A hand lands on his hair, gently this time. "Don't worry about it so much. They're just as desperate to see you." Kei doesn't look at him, eyes staring into the distance. The warm weight on his head is soothing, reassuring. He tries not to be so grateful.

They share a moment of silence, broken only when the others return. "Good work, you two." Kei pats his head once and then walks to them, accepting the scroll. Addressing all of them, he surmises, "Suigetsu's probably already engaged them, so we can leave now. Everyone ready?" They nod in affirmation. He goes on, "Alright, Karin, you're with me. Sasuke and Jugo will follow us at a slower pace. If anything happens, we'll need to keep you out of sight."

His eyes widen unbidden, and he clenches his fists. Kei smiles, and he and Karin depart. Jugo looks to him in askance. He shakes his head, clearing his face of any emotions. "It's nothing. Let's go."

The path to the bridge is both infinitely long and too short. He senses the three of them before they reveal themselves, but he still isn't prepared for the sight of them, older and different and- and without Kakashi. His heart aches. He ignores it.

_"Where's Sasuke, you bastards?"_

He fights a smile. It's now or never.

"It's been a long time, Naruto, Sakura."

* * *

_"Nobody can save me now, no._

_Nobody can save me now."_

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, a time skip! Gotta have 'em if I'm going to make this thing five chapters. Plus, there really wasn't much to cover - that isn't going to be explained/mentioned in the rest of the fic, anyway. Also, I'm not good at writing fight scenes, and I just don't think they're interesting to read. For this story at least, I'm going to work my way around them as much as possible. Sorry in advance!
> 
> Some dialogue at the beginning was pulled from Episode 39 of the Shippuden English Dub. I altered it to better fit my own purposes as needed.


	4. our plan is gold dust

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Attempting to write characters who are both extremely observant and clever only serves to highlight the fact that I am neither. This has been extended to a tentative ten chapters. I hope you enjoy.
> 
> Lyrics: "Under The Sheets" by Ellie Goulding.

* * *

_You left a blood stain on the floor_   
_You set your sights on **him**_

* * *

" _Sa-su-ke_ ," she scarcely breathes and ( _IloveyouImissyoupleasecomehome_ whydidyou _leaveme)_ \- stops. The mere sight of him is like a physical ache or a punch to the gut. She has come a long, long way from the frightened little girl who was always lagging behind her teammates, from the fair maiden who harbored an unrequited love and was too foolish to realize. She's strong now, dammit, stronger than she used to be and certainly stronger than _this._

She feels more than sees Naruto tense up beside her, and she uses his presence to ground herself. ( _it'sapromiseofalifetime_ ) She's a kunoichi, and she's on a mission. Ninja are expected to suppress their emotions - not all of the time, but she has an inkling this is the sort of situation wherein said rule is mandatory.

(Once, Sakura was forced to stay behind because she was 'too emotional', made to sit on her heels and wait because she 'couldn't handle it.' Never again. She's had far too many 'what ifs' in her life, and she's not about to add to them.)

She takes a deep breath, exhales. Carefully un-clenches her fists, but doesn't let her guard down. Whatever Sasuke might be to _them_ , there are still unknown shinobi on the field, and she suspects her old teammate hasn't become any more willing to return home. She casts a critical on him, so different from her last memories of him and yet similar.

His forehead is unprotected, the discarded hitai-ate left behind and gingerly cared for by Naruto. He's wearing a typical high-collared shirt, dark navy blue with sleeves falling around the elbow, and she'd glimpsed an Uchiwa on its back. Black, fingerless gloves cover his hands and disappear into his sleeves, and his pants balloon around his thighs and are taped at the ankles. A katana rests on his back.

To her trained eyes, he seems completely healthy. She withholds a sigh of relief. Whatever Orochimaru has done to him isn't visible at the very least. Mentally, however... She searches his face for some flicker of emotion, some sign that he's _theirs_ , that he hasn't regressed completely. She finds nothing and tries to console herself with the fact that Sasuke had always been good at putting on a poker face.

" _Oh_ ," the Kabuto impostor says, glancing at Sasuke and then her and Naruto meaningfully. "Are these the teammates you abandoned, Sasuke?"

She tries not to flinch and instead allows a thought to sink in: Sasuke had talked about them at some point. Whether it had been a throwaway comment or something more significant, she doesn't know, but it sparks a small bit of hope in her anyway.

"Hn," Sasuke affirms with no outward reaction.

The only female scoffs, staring down at _her_ , specifically, "They don't look like much. I can see why you did."

The guy with the scarf, whom Sakura assumes is the leader, sends the kunoichi a censuring look, and she rolls her eyes. Sakura tucks that away for later.

"I assume Kakashi is with you," Sasuke says, nonchalantly, as if the answer means little to him, and maybe it does.

Yamato-sensei steps forward then and says, "Sorry, I'm not Kakashi-san. I'm here in his place, and the new Team Kakashi is taking you back to Konoha."

He sounds certain enough, but Sakura knows he's also a little wary of 'Team Taka.' They'd expected Sasori's spy and had hoped he would lead them to Sasuke. They'd never planned for the man to be taken out - much less Orochimaru - or for Sasuke to have apparently switched sides again. The possibility of Orochimaru taking over his body is nonexistent now, however, and even despite any other uncertainties, she's pleased _that_ outcome has been neatly diverted.

"Team Kakashi...?" Sasuke repeats, thoughtfully. His heavy gaze moves over to Sai. "So _you're_ my replacement? Another loser joins the ranks."

Sakura doesn't know what to make of this statement, other than the fact that Sasuke had given _some_ thought to their team and the gaping hole he'd left behind. 'Replacement' implies he acknowledges he'd had a place with them, after all.

The Kabuto impostor snorts and says, slinging an arm over Sasuke's shoulder, "Seems they're still clinging onto those bonds you said you broke. Maybe you should make it a bit clearer?" His teeth widen into a shark-like grin. "Or permanent?"

Sasuke explains dispassionately, "The only 'bond' I still have is a bond of hatred with my brother. Other bonds merely confuse you and distract you from your greatest desires and the emotions that matter."

This seems to strike a chord with Naruto, and the casual interaction between Sasuke and the impostor probably doesn't help. She fights down the irritation it causes in her own heart.

"Then why..? If that's so, then _why_?" Naruto demands, voice growing into a yell. "Why didn't you kill me _then_?! Isn't that your way of breaking bonds?! Sasuke!"

Sasuke answers him coolly, "The reason is simple. It's not that I didn't break those bonds. I didn't want to give _him_ the pleasure of seeing me obtain power by following his ways. I merely spared your life on a whim."

Naruto goes strangely still, but she knows that the anger is still simmering beneath the surface. She wants badly to comfort him somehow, and she desperately wants to scream at Sasuke, plead with him, shake him, make him show something other than that bland look of disinterest he's had the entire time. She does none of this, keeps herself calm, all too aware of the others around them. She doesn't have the tunnel vision Naruto has developed in regards to Sasuke.

Heedless of their inner turmoil, Sasuke goes on, "Come to think of it, isn't your dream to become Hokage? If you have the time to come chasing after me, you should be training. Isn't that right, Naruto?"

"Can someone who can't even save one of his friends become Hokage? What do you think, Sasuke?" Naruto says, quietly.

* * *

_I've seen you in a fight you **lost** ,_   
_I've seen you in a fight_

* * *

Sasuke very carefully conceals a flinch. His attempt to redirect Naruto's goal of finding him into something more productive had failed spectacularly. Kei shifts, almost imperceptibly, but Sasuke notices and takes the gesture of comfort for what it is. Shinobi don't fidget.

The man with the Wood Release - Kei had known him as 'Yamato' but had admitted it was likely an alias - speaks then, blithely ignoring the intimate silence that had followed their exchange, "You mentioned a hit list. Would Uchiha Itachi happen to be one of your targets?"

Suigetsu whistles appreciatively. "We got a quick one here, guys."

Sakura picks up on the connotation and says, glancing between the members of Team Taka, "That's why you betrayed Orochimaru, then, Sasuke?"

"Hn," Sasuke allows. It _is_ one of the few pieces of information they'd planned to offer up ahead of time, even if it's utterly untrue.

Naruto had been in quiet contemplation, but that admission gets a reaction out of him. He glares at Sasuke and demands, "We're after him, too! Just come back to the village, Sasuke!"

He doesn't answer the plea, but Yamato fills in the gaps easily, "Naruto's methods leave much to be desired, but he has a point. Konoha is after Uchiha Itachi, as well, and if Team Taka's other targets align with ours, we'd be willing to offer an alliance."

Sasuke resists the urge to scoff. He trusts Naruto's stubbornness and his weird ability to make people like _and_ listen to him, and he believes, to some extent, that Naruto could convince the Hokage to let him (and only him) back into the village with minimal resistance. Tsunade is the least of his concerns, however. Danzo is still a problem, after all, and he can accomplish much more - keep them _safer_ \- outside of the village than within it. Of that much, he is certain.

Kei answers this time, "I'm not particularly interested in your village. Don't get in my way, and we won't have any problems."

It's another scripted response, of course. Kei had decided it'd be easier for Sasuke to make amends with Team 7 - which is the best and least likely scenario - were they neutral towards Konoha rather than outright enemies. It doesn't protect them from anything, not really, but it's still a better stance in the long run.

"Very well," Yamato concedes, apparently knowing it was unlikely they'd agree. "If I may, what are your thoughts on red dawn?"

Ah, he _had_ wondered if they'd bring it up. 'Red Dawn' might be as subtle as one could get without mentioning the tailed beasts or S-Rank missing-nin. It's still pretty blatant, though.

"It's supposed to be a powerful omen, a precursor to battle," Kei drawls, his voice ever so slightly off from its normal register. He quirks an eyebrow at Yamato. "But that's not what you're asking, is it?" Before the man can answer, Kei reveals flippantly, "Akatsuki will fall by my hand."

Sakura gasps in surprise, and Naruto's eyes widen. 'Sai' - another alias and his apparent replacement - manages to contain his own reaction, and Yamato merely looks as if his suspicions have been confirmed.

Team Taka's reactions are a bit different. Karin smiles smugly, likely at catching them off-guard. She'd despised Sasuke's ex-teammates since she'd first learned of them (out of jealousy, he suspects but has never said), and she'd regarded Sakura in particular with more venom than any of the others. He is smart enough not to ask. Jugo remains as stoic as always, and Suigetsu's smirk stretches, revealing more ridiculously sharp teeth.

"Are you aware of their true goal, then?" Yamato asks, prodding, as if _he_ does, and _they_ should prove that they're the ones who have the upper hand by sharing that information. He's good, Sasuke will give him that. If he wasn't already certain Konoha _doesn't_ know about the Jūbi or Madara, he might have been inclined to do so. Mockingly, of course, but he'd still have been playing into their hands.

As it is, Kei and, by extension, Team Taka have access to more information than any of the villages could ever hope to get their hands on.

Kei quirks his eyebrow, again, but otherwise shows no emotion. "We are," he says simply. He then announces abruptly, "We're leaving."

Sasuke withholds a sigh of relief, this whole charade taking its toll on him. Instead, he drinks in the sight of Naruto and Sakura (shocked, worried, hurt, _alive_ ) one last time and then turns his back on them - a parody of their last meeting. He spots Suigetsu giving them a jaunty wave and Karin, a final glare. Jugo steps in beside him.

" _Wait!_ " Naruto shouts hurriedly, and Sasuke- hesitates. "Sasuke, you bastard! You're just gonna leave?! Just like that?!"

(Distantly, he hears that same voice, higher, determined, _"You're the first real bond I've ever had, so I'm going to stop you!"  
_

And another, hers, begging, _"I love you, Sasuke! Please take me with you!"_

Kakashi's, serious, solemn, _"Ninja who abandon their friends are worse than scum."_ )

Yamato chides, quietly, "Let them go, Naruto. This exceeds our mission parameters. We have to report to the Hokage."

"But Yamato-sensei!" Naruto growls. Sakura murmurs his name. He feels the others looking at him expectantly.

Sasuke shakes off the guilt and says, "Let's go."

They use shunshin to get a fair bit of distance away and then slow down to a quick, efficient pace in the trees when no one follows them. He ignores Karin and Suigetsu's inevitable argument, even when it involves his ex-teammates. Kei moves to match his pace in the lead and somehow manages to ruffle his hair before Sasuke can intercept his hand, all without missing a step.

"That went better than expected," Kei remarks casually.

Sasuke eyes him warily. "Hn."

Kei lowers his scarf and smirks at him. "Good job not breaking character, _Sasuke-chan_."

"Shut up," is his intelligent response. "Think they bought it?" he ventures.

Kei sobers. "Whatever they think of _you_ , they'll have to look into everything we said anyway. No doubt _he_ _'ll_ stick his nose into it, but I'm not worried."

Translation: Danzo will probably try something, but Team Taka can handle it. He tries not to be too pleased at the inherent praise.

They very carefully don't talk about Team 7, even when they reach their temporary base.

* * *

_We're in a mess baby,_   
_We're in a mess  
_

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I realize there's no action here, but that's kind of par for the course in Naruto. There are tons of staring contests and silences in between dialogue, and maybe someone interrupts it with a fight. Some dialogue was taken from episode 51 of Shippuden, which contains all of those things. Also, they were outnumbered, their mission involving Sasuke had been more 'if the opportunity presents itself', and they did need to report all of this to the Hokage, preferably asap.
> 
> Let me know what you think! I'll just be over here, nervously awaiting your responses as always. (Before anyone asks, I didn't forget about Sai!)


End file.
